Clockwork-operated mechanical fuse for artillery projectiles



May 25 1926. 1,586,342

A. VARAUD CLOCKWORK OPERATED MECHANICAL FUSE' FOR ARTILLERY PROJECTILES Original Filed May 13, 1924 117 ,11. 8 7770 zg l I 4 d Patented May 25, 1926.

UNTlE STATLS Lte PATENT @FFME ANDR VARAUD, OF GENEVA, SWITZERLANB.

CLQGKWOB/K-OPEBATED MECHANCAL FUSE FOR` ARTILLERY PROJECTILES.

original application filed, May 13, 192A, Serial No. 712360..:11111 in Switzerland August 2, 1924. Divided.

and this application filed. June 26, 1925.

f The invention relates to clockwork mechanical fuses for artillery projectiles of the type. in which the release of the striker is controlled by a rotary member, the angular position of which can be set prior to firing and which during its trajectory is driven in a direction inversely its setting by means ofthe clockwork. It refers more particularly to a ratchet mechanism used in such fuses for, on the one part, to prevent the retrogradation of the motive power stored up in the driving spring of the clockwork, and on the other part7 for adjusting exactly prior to firing the setting position given tothe rotary member controlling the release of the striker.

In known fuses of this kind this ratchet mechanSln does not permit of obtaining a large number of rigorously determined different angular setting positions if at the same time a relatively small diameter of the fuse is maintained.

The ratchet mechanism, Which is the object of the present invention eliminates this inconvenience and makes it possible to obtain from to 1000 different well determined locking positions by each winding turn without increasing the transverse dimensions of the fuse with regard to the standards admitted by the actual; require-- ments of the artillery.

This ratchet or locking mechanism is characterizcd by laterally arranged teeth, and is keyed to the mainfshaft, and by an axially movable crown pawl withl opposed laterally arranged teeth and also having internal teeth which serve, on the one hand, for immobilizing it angularly during the winding and the simultaneous setting of the fuse and as long as the wound-up clockwork is not started and on the other hand for transmittingf the driving power to the gear train of the clockwork during the operation of the latter.

The annexed drawing represents by way of example an embodiment of the object of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation,

Fig. 2 a plan view Fig. 3 a cross section along the line 3-.3 or` lc'f`ig.` 2,v and the Figs. 1 and 5. are detail plan views showing separately the ratchet disk seen from above andthe crownpawl seen from below.

Tfhe ratchet. disk 150i the locking mech Serial No. 39,699.

anism is keyed to the upper portion of the driving shaft 2 carrying the barrel-centre (not shown) of the main spring of the clockwork. This ratchet disk 1 is provided at its periphery with a border extending outwardly therefrom. Tn the upper part of this border are radially cut the gnllet teeth 3. The dimensions of these teeth 3 with regard to the diameter of the ratchet disk 1 are very small, a fact which permits of havinga comparatively large number of teeth, for instance 10.0 of them on a ratchet of a diameter of 2O mm.

The crown pawl i is also provided at its periphery with a border projecting towards the inner part of the fuse and in which border the radial `gullctteeth 5. are cut which correspond to the teeth 3 of the ratchet 1.

This crown pawl 4 is freely mounted on' the ratchet disk 1 inside a ring 6. fixed to the periphery of the ratchet disk 1 by means of screws 7 and having extension or flaps 8 operating as springs which are bent over the crown pawl 45 so as to bear elastically at equidistant points in order to normally hold 'the teeth 3' and 5 in mesh.

The crown pawl' 11 is also provided: with internal gear teeth 9 in constan-t mesh with a pinion 10 keyed on the inner extremity of a shaft 11. This latter, during the whole period of winding the main spring and as long` asV the clockwork has not been started., is prevented from rotating by any convenient means. It therefore locks the crown' pawl t in its angular position which again Aholds the ratchet disk 1 stationary or in other words prevents the retrogradation of the power storedl up in the shaft 2.

During the storage of thisl power, the withdrawal of the teeth 5 of the crown pawl 4 in order to pass over the teeth 3 of the ratchet disk 1 between two succeeding lockingl positions, is effected parallel to the shafts 2 and 11 against the action of the bent over flaps 8 performing the function of retaining springs.

Means (not shown in the drawing) are provided for liberating the shaft 11 and in so doing to start the clockwork as soon as this locking engageu'icnt is no longer a necessity. At this moment the mechanism works like an ordinary clutch with gullet teethl for transmitting at a. multi lied speed the motive power transmitted, trough the shaft 11 to the (not shown) gear train of the clockwork, the last moving member of which comprises the escape-ment wheel of the regulating device of the fuse.

The etliciency of the locking realizedby means of the teeth 5 of the crown pawl 4 whilst the shaft l1 remains immobilized is assured regardless of the extremely reduced dimensions of said teeth, owing to' their large number..

In the space left free between the crown pawl 4 and the ratchet disk l at the interiorly of the teeth 3 and 5 are accommodated two winding pinions 'l2 and 13, the latter of which is keyed on the lower extremity of the winding up driving shaft 14 and the former one on the outer end of the shaft 2.

It is not necessary that the teeth 3 and 5 are the same in number. Une out of two of them might be left out, for instance the teeth 5 of the crown pawl might be only one half of the number of the teeth 8 of the ratchet disk without interfering with theA security of the locking. Of course the distance between tlie teeth 5 must be made in suoli a manner as to correspond to the width of a tooth 3 of ratchet disk l.

What I claim is: f

l. In a clockwork operated mechanical fuse, a drive shaft, a ratchet disk mounted thereon and having'a series of peripheral laterally extending teeth, an axially movable crown pawl also having a series of peripheral laterally extendingteeth for engagement with the laterally extending` teeth of the said ratchet disk, and means `for yieldingly maintaining the said series of laterally extending teeth in mesh with one another whereby the laterally extending teeth of the ratchet `disk slide over the laterally extending teeth of the said crown pawl during the winding and setting `of the fuse and the said crown pawl is driven by the said ratchet disk during the operation of the clockwork. l

2. In a clockwork operated mechanical fuse, a drive shaft, a ratchet disk mounted thereon and having a series of peripheral laterally extending teeth, an axially movable crown pawl also having a series of peripheral laterally extending teeth for engagement with the laterally extending teeth of the ratchet disk, and spring members bearing yieldingly on the said crown pawl for mantaining the seriesof laterally extending teeth thereon in mesh with the series of laterallyv extending teeth of the ratchet disk wherebythe laterally extending teeth of the ratchet disk slide over the laterally extending teeth of the said crown pawl during the winding and setting of the fuse and the said crown pawl is driven by the said ratchet disk during the operation of the clockwork.` n

SQIn a clockwork operated mechanical fuse, a drive shaft, a ratchet disk secured thereto and having a series of peripheral laterally extending teeth, a ring surrounding the sa'idratchet disk, a crown piece within the said ring and also having a series of peripheral laterally extending teeth, and a plurality of spring members secured to the l the laterally extending teeth of the ratchety disk whereby the laterally extending teeth of the ratchet disk slide over the laterally extending teeth of the said` crown pawl during the-winding and setting of the fuse and the said crown pawl is -driven by the said ratchet disk during the operation of the clockwork. n

v4f. In a clockwork operated mechanical fuse, a drive shaft, a winding shaft, a ratchet disk secured on the drive shaft and having a series of y peripheral laterally extending teeth, pinions connecting the said winding shaft and drive shaft, a crown pawl also having a series of peripheral laterally extending teeth for engagement with the said series of laterally extending teeth of the ratchet disk, and means for yieldingly maintaining the said series of laterally extending teeth in mesh with one another whereby the laterally extending teeth of the ratchet disk slide over the laterally extending teeth of the said crown pawl during thewinding and setting of the' fuse' and the said crown pawl is driven by the said ratchet disk during the operation of the clockwork.

5. In av clockwork operated mechanical lfuse,.a drive shaft, a winding shaft, -a ratchet disk mounted on the drive shaft and having a series ofperipheral laterally extending teeth, means for connecting the winding shaft and the drive shaft for turningthe latter from the former, a crown. pawl valso having a series of peripheral. laterally extending teeth for engagement with the laterally extending teeth of the ratchet disk, a clockwork shaft, means for driving the clockwork shaft from the said crown pawl, and means for yieldingly maintaining the said series of laterally extending teeth in mesh with one another whereby the laterally extending teeth of the ratchet disk slide over the'laterally extending teeth of the said crown pawl during the winding andsetting of the fuse and the said crown pawl is' driven by the said ratchet disk during the operation of the clockwork.

ne f

6. In a clockwork operated mechanical fuse, a drive shaft, a ratchet disk secured to the drive shaft and having a series a series of peripheral laterally extending teeth adapted to engage with the said series ot laterally extending teeth on the ratchet disk and also a series of internal gear teeth, a clockwork shaft, a pinion thereon adapted to inesh with the internal gear teeth ot` the crown pawl, and n'ieans 'tor yieldingly maintaining' the said series ot laterally extending teeth in niesh with one another wherehy the laterally extending teeth ot' the ratchet. disk slide over the laterally extending teeth ot the said crown pawl during the winding and setting of the `fuse and the said crown pawl is driven by the said ratchet disk during the operation ot' the clockwork.

7. In a clockwork operated niechanical fuse, a drive shaft, a ratchet disk secured to the drive shaft and having a series oit peripheral laterally extending teeth, a Winding shaft, a pinion thereon. a pinion on the drive shaft. meshing with the pinion on the winding shaft, a crown pawl having a series of peripheral laterally extending teeth adapted to engage with the said series of laterally extending teeth on the ratchet disk and also a series of internal gear teeth, a

clockwork shaft, a pinion thereon adapted to niesh with the internal gear teeth ot' the crown pawl, a ring surrounding the said ratchet disk and within which the said crown pawl lies so as to be guided thereby, and a plurality ot` springs secured to the said ring and extending over the said crown pawl so as to vieldingly maintain the sanie in position with the laterally extending teeth thereof in inesh with the laterally extending teeth ot the ratchet disk whereby the laterally extending teeth ot the ratchet disk slide over the laterally extending teeth ot the crown pawl when the drive shaft is turned in one direction during the winding and the setting` ot the fuse and when in the operation ot the clockwork the said drive shaft turns in the opposite direction the said ratchet disk drives the crown pawl and the crown pawl drives the clockwork shaft through the said pinion thereon meshing with the internal gear teeth of the crown pawl.

In testimony whereotI I have aiiixed my signature.

ANDR VARAUD. 

